The Comparative Study Between The New Cultural Enlightenment Period Of The May 4Th Times In China And Meiji Cultural Enlightenment Movement In Japan

At the end of nineteenth Century and the beginning of twentieth Century, the new culture enlightenment movement took place in Japan and China respectively, which is an important step for the two oriental nations to toward the modernization of the country. Compared the new culture enlightenment movement in the renewal process of traditional culture, it is helpful to deepen the understanding of how the two countries take different route of modernization.The times condition of the two countries between China and Japan has significant similarities and differences in the new cultural. Enlight-enment. The two countries are facing the serious national crisis, are subject to the impact of the wave of "The Eastward Transmission of Western Sciences", had established the modern regime and had to think about national development problems to adapt the needs of social development, from the ideological and cultural level to find the root of the national crisis. But at the same time, because of the severity of the crisis facing the different domestic and political status are different, so that the two new cultural enlightenment has followed different ways.Inspects the main contents of the new cultural enlightenment in China and Japan, it deny the feudal traditional ideology and culture on the one hand. On the other hand, the western capitalist ideology and culture are actively affirmed and advocated. However, because of its final target and the specific operation have difference, lend to greater differences they focus content. Enlightenment in China is initiated by the advanced intellectuals to against Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself Emperor, focuses on the behind of the feudal monarchy feudal criticizing, ultimate aim is to inspire wisdom, saving the nation from subjugation. While the Japanese enlightenment is under the support of the government by a government bureaucrat status thinkers launched, the purpose of which is to cooperate with the government of Meiji Reformation of Europeanization on modern road has reached independence and prosperity to, so the focus of Western learning.In the role of the new culture enlightenment of China and Japan, the influence of the new culture of the two countries is different, because of the different age conditions and the main contents of the enlightenment. In China, due to the enlightenment of the new culture school and the government of the Republic of the warlord politics of opposite, can not be recognized by the latter, its role is quite limited. Although it promote the social ideological liberation in a certain extent, has not exerted a strong influence on the political process of China’s modernization. And in Japan, because of the enlightenment of the new culture school is consistent with the Meiji government reform of the political, so as to get the support of the latter, its role is quite strong, prompting the Japanese soon to get rid of the national crisis and take the road of power.In short, the modernization of the country must be in economic, political, ideological and cultural aspects of the simultaneous advance. Due to the material and spiritual culture split each other, it’s difficult to achieve fundamental change for Chinese traditional culture, which lead to national modernization repeated setbacks. At the same time, the new culture school can’t do it alone, and must be combined with the power of economic and political progress and the progressive forces, in order to make the advanced culture playing a role in promoting the modernization of the national revolutionary effect.